Best Thai Restaurant in Chicagoland?

Where can I find a great Thai restaurant either in the Chicago suburbs or in Chicago?

I have already been to Arun's, but need some lower cost options.

Look no further than the GNRs. TAC and Spoon are board favorites. As is Sticky Rice.

shorty-

What YourPalWill said: Link to GNR thread

There is a wealth of information on this site. You might find some treasures if you spend some time reading the different boards and threads. You may also find that you have new input on previously mentioned places or something that hasn't been mentioned before. To that end, the search function, either on the site or Google with the domain "lthforum.com" highlighted, will net you other treasures.

Happy hunting!

-The GP

I saw some postings about specific Thai restaurants, but not a general posting asking about the best Thai restaurants. If there is such a thread which already exists, please give me the link. Thanks.

It's pretty unreasonable to assume that a board with this many posters will come to a single consensus on what the "best" Thai restaurant in the city is. There are proponents and detractors of the good ones with things to say about the contrasting points of each place. The GNRs are the best place to assess those variations and decide for yourself.

Siams House in Niles on Milwaukee Road imo the best for the burbs but it has not been that consisten lately.

The rating distribution trend charts on yelp are also good, but as you said the reviews are not consistent. I think that you are right that in the end, you need to try out the restaurant and judge for yourself. It is also possible that a restaurant executes a bunch of dishes well, but there are a couple of dishes which don't work at all. This may explain some of the variation in user review ratings. A restaurant may also have some good chefs and some bad chefs.

shorty wrote:The rating distribution trend charts on yelp are also good, but as you said the reviews are not consistent. I think that you are right that in the end, you need to try out the restaurant and judge for yourself. It is also possible that a restaurant executes a bunch of dishes well, but there are a couple of dishes which don't work at all. This may explain some of the variation in user review ratings. A restaurant may also have some good chefs and some bad chefs.

That's why you have to read through the threads about specific restaurants here on LTH and decide for yourself about the particular strength and weaknesses of a given restaurant, although the GNR Awards do represent places with a pretty wide board consensus of being well...GREAT. That doesn't mean that everyone who posts on LTH Forum agrees with that assessment, but it does mean that in our (collective) opinion, those places are pretty special and deserve to at least get checked out.

Another great one is Amarind's in Oak Park.

Thanks for the info. I plan to try out TAC Quick based on the postings in the GNR thread.

blipsman wrote:Another great one is Amarind's in Oak Park.

Amarind Thai, run by an Arun's alumus, is technically in Chicago (across North Ave.). It is a sparkling clean room with white tablecloths and friendly staff and a nice touch on the plate, but it is dialed down several orders of magnitude from TAC, Spoon, and Sticky Rice. I'd put it at the forefront of the city's Amerithai places (and way ahead of neighbors Mama Thai and The King & I), but it can't hold a candle to Yum Thai (Forest Park) or Bodhi Thai (Berwyn) for flavor, via openly shared "secret" Thai menus and staffs that still make what they love for themselves in the kitchen. Bodhi is an even prettier room than Amarind (though missing the neat, incongruous castle turret).

Amarind Thai
6822 W. North
Chicago

Bodhi Thai*
6211 Roosevelt
Berwyn

Yum Thai
7748 Madison
Forest Park

*additionally and quite irrelevantly, Bodhi Thai has some of the most entertaining Yelp reviews I've ever read

shorty wrote: It is also possible that a restaurant executes a bunch of dishes well, but there are a couple of dishes which don't work at all. This may explain some of the variation in user review ratings.

There's also the small matter of taste, which I hear there is no accounting for.

Parroting what others have said, my favorite (so far) is TAC Quick. I also really like Spoon and Aroy. Planning to try Sticky Rice on Friday.

--Rich

The Elephant at 5348 W. Devon is usually consistently tasty, and I like Thai Pavilion for their curries (4654 Church St., Skokie). I've heard from a friend that Tub Tim Thai (4927 Oakton, Skokie) is the closest to the stuff she's had in Thailand.

I've recently discovered http://www.daothai.com through a recommendation from a friend. It's a nice little place in downtown Chicago and reasonably priced.

I love the Lard Nar and the Shrimp Pad Ped.

Dao Thai Restaurant
230 E. Ohio St.
Chicago, Il.
312-337-0000

My favorite dishes at Green Basil in Vernon Hills are the following: 1) duck red curry pasta, 2) drunken noodle, and 3) cashew chicken. Here is the website: http://www.greenbasilkitchen.com/. The flavors are fresh tasting. I have tried cashew chicken at many chinese restaurants. The cashew chicken dish at this restaurant is the best version I have found.

Santander wrote:

blipsman wrote:Another great one is Amarind's in Oak Park.

Amarind Thai, run by an Arun's alumus, is technically in Chicago (across North Ave.). It is a sparkling clean room with white tablecloths and friendly staff and a nice touch on the plate, but it is dialed down several orders of magnitude from TAC, Spoon, and Sticky Rice. I'd put it at the forefront of the city's Amerithai places...

Dolinsky disagrees, naming Amarind's as Chicago's Top Thai Restaurant. Rounding out his top five are Sticky Rice, Aroy, Spoon and TAC.

Based on my recent second dinner at Aroy (first dinner was at TAC), they definitely take the prize for the best Thai food I've had in Chicago this year. I look forward to heading back to Aroy asap and trying more of their menu.

-Dan

I've always been a huge fan of Pho's Hot & Spicy on Lincoln Ave. between School and Roscoe, across from Dinkel's Bakery. When you ask for spicy, they bring the heat! I usually order 5x Extra Hot, but most people I know find their Medium to pack plenty of heat. My go to is the Red Chicken Curry, but everything else I've had there is amazing as well.

It's a mom-and-pop BYOB, owned by a couple that regulars refer to as Mama and Daddy Pho. It's the kind of place that will remember you over the phone simply by what you order (then again, I'm not sure how many people order Red Chicken Curry 5x extra hot, and mild Praram Rongsong with Peanut Sauce on the side). As soon as they recognize you, Mama Pho will say, "Oh, Hi! How are you?" Upon pickup, Daddy Pho (with his trademark baseball cap) will make small talk, and always say, "OK, enjoy your dinner!" as you leave.

Pho's Hot & Spicy Thai Cuisine
3332 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago 60657
(Btwn W Roscoe & W School St)
(773) 755-1995

I would add some great spots in Evanston and Skokie -

Siam Splendour - 1125 Emerson Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 492-1008 ‎
www.siamsplendour.com

Ruby of Siam - Fashion Square Mall | 9420 Skokie Blvd | Skokie | 847-675-7008 or
170 W. Washington St. | Downtown Chicago | 312-609-0000
http://rubyofsiam.com/

Thai Sookdee - 1016 Church Street Ave.Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 866-8012
http://www.thaisookdee.com/index.html

All are very good -

dondonmofo wrote:Siams House in Niles on Milwaukee Road imo the best for the burbs but it has not been that consisten lately.

The best in Chicagoland, imo.

Haven't been in a while since I live in the 'burbs now, but I always thought Rosded on Lincoln was excellent. Kind of like homestyle Thai and being in someone's house.

Rosded
2308 West Leland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625-2021
(773) 334-9055

weinstein5 wrote:I would add some great spots in Evanston and Skokie -

Siam Splendour - 1125 Emerson Street, Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 492-1008 ‎
http://www.siamsplendour.com

Ruby of Siam - Fashion Square Mall | 9420 Skokie Blvd | Skokie | 847-675-7008 or
170 W. Washington St. | Downtown Chicago | 312-609-0000
http://rubyofsiam.com/

Thai Sookdee - 1016 Church Street Ave.Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 866-8012
http://www.thaisookdee.com/index.html

All are very good -

I agree. I've been to many of the others already mentioned in this topic. Here's how I would rank the ones I've tried, from best to worst: Thai Sookdee, Thai Splendour, Thai Pavilion, Ruby of Siam, Spoon Thai, Amarind, TAC Quick, Sticky Rice, and Siam House.

Thai Sookdee is our absolute favorite. Of the dishes we like to order at most Thai restaurants (see below), we have found that Thai Sookdee is the best in the Chicago area. They are also very consistent with their preparations. So for example, when we found that their tom kha gai is the very best Thai dish we've ever had around here, we have also found that it is still that way every time we go.

Ruby of Siam also operated out of the Siam Splendour location until recently. I don't know if there is still any relationship between the two or not. Once in a while we used to go to Ruby of Siam, but stopped because of inconsistency with respect to both the level of hotness and the oiliness of the dishes. It was like the poem about the little girl and her curl: When it was good, it was very very good, but...

A few months ago we tried Siam Spendour and it was quite good, but we still like the food at Thai Sookdee better. Thai Sookdee is also significantly less expensive than Siam Splendour. Here's what I wrote at the time:

"We got carry-out from Siam Splendour tonight. It was quite good, better than most, although it was a bit on the pricy side. Bottom line, we're not going to abandon Thai Sookdee as our go-to place for Thai cuisine in Evanston.

Here's what we had:

Tom Kha Gai (soup) - This is a dish that both restaurants do very well - very creamy, with lots of chicken. We normally do not specify a level of hotness at Thai Sookdee, and the level of hotness is right where we like it, rather hot, but not overwhelming. At Siam Splendour, we were asked "mild, medium, or hot" and we ordered it medium. It turned out to be very hot, significantly hotter than at Thai Sookdee, but not inedibly so. That was about the only difference between the two. The soup is also MUCH more expensive at Siam Splendour, $12.95 for the same large size as Sookdee's $7.95.

Lahb Chicken - We like the taste of this dish at Thai Sookdee better than at Siam Splendour; Sookdee's is moister, with more of a citrus tang/tartness. The portion size at Siam Splendour is significantly larger. It's also slightly hotter/spicier.

Pad Thai with Shrimp - This dish is quite similar at both places. It seems a bit greasy at Splendour. Splendour gives you more shrimp (7, vs 5 at Sookdee) but charges more ($9.95 vs $7.75).

Panang Chicken - This dish is similar but there was one big difference: the level of spice. Like the Tom Kha Gai, we ordered it Medium, but it turned out to be very, very hot, almost unpleasantly so. Whereas at Sookdee we don't specify a hotness level and it comes nicely hot but not overly so. And again, there was a substantial price difference for similar portion sizes ($10.95 at Splendour vs $6.95 at Sookdee).

Cha Yen (Thai iced tea) - This is good at both places.

All in all, the food is similar in style at both restaurants, and they're both very good. We happened to like the food at Thai Sookdee a bit better, primarily because the hotness level of several of the dishes is just right, whereas it's a bit too much at Siam Splendour, even when requested Medium. Also, the prices at Thai Sookdee are significantly lower, even when dishes are similar portion sizes."

Most of the usual suspects have been mentioned in this thread (and some IMHO unusual suspects), but one favorite of mine (and others) that has not been mention is Dharma Garden, a mostly vegetarian Thai Restaurant on Irving Park.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=10225&hilit=Dharma+Garden

Dharma Garden
3109 West Irving Park Road
773-558-9140

shorty wrote:My favorite dishes at Green Basil in Vernon Hills are the following: 1) duck red curry pasta, 2) drunken noodle, and 3) cashew chicken. Here is the website: http://www.greenbasilkitchen.com/. The flavors are fresh tasting. I have tried cashew chicken at many chinese restaurants. The cashew chicken dish at this restaurant is the best version I have found.

I live near Green Basil, but haven't been to it recently enough to remember favorite dishes. Must go back, now that you mention it. I do clearly remember the restaurant interior itself as strikingly attractive, elegant, quiet, and tranquil.

GAF wrote:Most of the usual suspects have been mentioned in this thread (and some IMHO unusual suspects), but one favorite of mine (and others) that has not been mention is Dharma Garden, a mostly vegetarian Thai Restaurant on Irving Park.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=10225&hilit=Dharma+Garden

Dharma Garden
3109 West Irving Park Road
773-558-9140

Have you been there recently? I ask because DG has changed ownership at least twice in the last year, closing first for several weeks before the latest family reopened it, maybe 8 months ago. I have not tried the most recent incarnation.

dansch wrote:

Santander wrote:

blipsman wrote:Another great one is Amarind's in Oak Park.

Amarind Thai, run by an Arun's alumus, is technically in Chicago (across North Ave.). It is a sparkling clean room with white tablecloths and friendly staff and a nice touch on the plate, but it is dialed down several orders of magnitude from TAC, Spoon, and Sticky Rice. I'd put it at the forefront of the city's Amerithai places...

Dolinsky disagrees, naming Amarind's as Chicago's Top Thai Restaurant. Rounding out his top five are Sticky Rice, Aroy, Spoon and TAC.

Based on my recent second dinner at Aroy (first dinner was at TAC), they definitely take the prize for the best Thai food I've had in Chicago this year. I look forward to heading back to Aroy asap and trying more of their menu.

-Dan

Well, if Dolinsky sez so...

But he's damn wrong. I have no idea how he got Amarind in the list, or perhaps, no idea how he got some kinda secret menu out of Amarind because I've never come close. What Sandandar sez is pretty accurate.

Now, as to Aroy, I very much agree with that, and in general, this year, my best Thai meals have been there.

I'll agree to Santander's year + old post. Amarind is watered down AmeriThai. It's decent for the immediate area, but I'd assume that 100% of the time, Yum would be a better option for Thai food in the area. Bodhi Thai has fallen a notch for me, but if I had to choose between Bodhi and Amarinds right now, I'd opt for Bodhi on the chance that they could get back up to speed and be better.

Walk around Chinatown, and let me know how much Dolinsky's praise means afterward. I'm guessing his top 5 + 5 honorable mentions were the result of the ten Thai places he's ever visited. Yes, I am kidding about that, but seriously, walk around Chinatown. You'd think Dolinsky was the mayor.

seebee wrote:You'd think Dolinsky was the mayor.

Is he running, too?

seebee wrote:...walk around Chinatown. You'd think Dolinsky was the mayor.

I believe you mean patron saint.

Truth be told, I'm just a little jealous of Mike Sula.

-Dan

Kennyz wrote:Have you been there recently? I ask because DG has changed ownership at least twice in the last year, closing first for several weeks before the latest family reopened it, maybe 8 months ago. I have not tried the most recent incarnation.

I think that I was last at Dharma Garden early in 2010. I know at the time that an ownership transition was in progress (and this might not have been the most recent transition, of which I was not aware). But early in 2010 the food was as good as it had been. So I can not speak to whether DG has declined (or improved). Thanks for the information.

My SIL is looking for a Thai restaurant that serves a good vegetarian yellow curry with a wide variety of vegetables. She says she has been to a few restaurants, but has not been impressed yet. We've taken her to TAC Quick and Thai Avenue, not sure where else she has tried. Any recommendations? Thanks.